


Agents Fullmetal and Flame - An Agent's Promise

by thefullmetaledwardelric



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-08 22:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1958664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefullmetaledwardelric/pseuds/thefullmetaledwardelric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Partners, both on and off duty, Agent Fullmetal and Agent Flame share an evening before Fullmetal leaves for a mission that could mean his demise if he fails or finally having his brother back if he succeeds...</p>
<p>(This is more of a scene from a larger idea I had but sadly never really got to do much with...)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Agents Fullmetal and Flame - An Agent's Promise

Quiet. That was the only way Ed could ever describe Roy’s apartment in the middle of the night. Sure the sounds from the world outside managed to slip through the thin walls and past the glass of the windows… but they were muted at best. No, the only thing that Ed could hear right then was the faint puff of each breath as it left through Roy’s nostrils as he slept. He’d never been able to sleep for long after they’d been together, mostly a notion fueled from his own sense of caution. 

Most of these encounters saw Ed up within an hour and in the shower then quietly slipping out of the apartment and back to his own. There was a status quot to maintain after all. They couldn’t be caught… No one could know how close they truly were, it was far too dangerous. Their jobs were far too dangerous enough as it was… if anyone found out they were lovers, well it was very likely that relationship would be used as a weapon against them… Not that people being used as weapons again the blond was anything new… his own brother was being used as a pawn against him for far too long already.

But that night… something in Ed had stirred and he’d lingered long there in Roy’s bed, looking down at him. It was as if he were memorizing every feature of his fellow agent’s face, every curve of his body. Lightly, Ed reached out brushing Roy’s messy bangs from before his eyes. He’d never noticed how long and elegant his eye lashes actually were a perfect black to match his hair and draped so easily over the light ridge at the base of those eyes. 

"I’m sorry…" Ed said softly, the feeling of tears welling in his eyes. "I have a feeling this maybe the last time I see you Roy…" he continued in that low whisper. The tears streamed down his cheeks as he said the words he hadn’t been able to say earlier int he evening. "This mission… this could be the one I’ve waited all this time for… I may finally find my brother and get him back. I know you wouldn’t approve of me going alone on this but… I have to… I’m sorry Roy."

He then leaned over a bit, his tear moistened lips pressing to pale, white skin on Roy’s cheek. “If I don’t come back… Just… I love you okay? I always did…” he whispered.

Pushing off the bed, Ed had planned to make for the shower, actually get to the routine they had agreed upon… but he no more than got a step away from the bed when he felt a hand grasp firmly around his left wrist. Wheeling around, surprised golden eyes fell on open and sharp obsidian looking at him. Roy was awake? Had he… had he been awake this entire time? 

"I won’t accept those words Agent Fullmetal…" Roy said, his tone firm, authoritative, as if he were in the office talking to him about his latest mission. 

Brows furrowing, Ed glared back at him. What was this about and why was he using that tone with him? Plus why was he using his code name? They only used those in the office and when communicating in secret for the job. Roy never called him that when they were alone. “Roy, what are… what are you doing?”

Sitting up, Roy pulled the blond back to the bed, pulling him into his arms. As he did, he nestled his face into the thick, long strands of Ed’s hair. “If you don’t come back… I won’t accept those words…” he replied quietly. “I know I can’t tell you not to accept this assignment… I know what it means. I admit, I did a bit of snooping… and I know it’s the same group that took Alphonse from you… I wish I could go with you, that I could protect you…”

"Flame idiot…" he grumbled as he leaned back into Roy, his eyes closing as he took in his scent one more time, musky and earthy and perfectly soothing. "I don’t need you to protect me but…" Sighing heavily, Ed shifted enough to be able to look around and see Roy. His right hand, the prosthetic metal of it, stroked over Roy’s cheek. Roy didn’t even bat a lash to it, simply letting himself lean into it as if it were warm as flesh. "…I… I wish you could come with me too but those bastards already have one of the two people in this world that I care about. I couldn’t… I couldn’t do what I know I’m going to have to if you were there… They’re not going to just let me have Al back… and I don’t want any more blood on your hands for my sake…"

"But what about your own hands Ed?" he asked. "You’re not a killer, you never were…"

"I have a plan, don’t worry…"

"That’s not entirely reassuring."

"Would you friggin’ trust me?"

The question was only met with a frustrated sigh as Roy sat there in silence for a few long moments before finally relenting to the fact that it didn’t matter what he said. Ed always did things his way and he was reasonably sure the feisty blond always would. No, he would have to settle for something far simpler, his original tactic…

"I mean what I said, about not accepting what you said to me if you don’t come back. Edward…" Roy brought his hand up so that he could turn Ed’s gaze to meet his own. "I’m serious, if those words you said are true, you better come back… because you know I feel the same. I don’t want to have to live in this world without you in it… not anymore… you’re too important to me."

Roy knew his request was selfish and unrealistic, he knew that any time either of them were out in the field it was very possible that they wouldn’t come back. It was a reality they had both accepted a long time ago. But something about this didn’t settle well with Roy, that was why he’d made Ed promise him to come back. Ed would do everything to get his brother back safe, even put himself in danger recklessly… and that was what Roy was afraid of, even now as he looked into the tender and trembling gold eyes before him. But Roy also knew that Ed would do everything in his power to keep a promise and that was what Roy was banking on to return his lover home safely to him this time. 

Blinking a few times, Ed felt his chest get tight and the sting of tears return to his eyes. If this had been about a year ago he would have said that Roy was full of shit, but now… now Roy meant just the same to him. He didn’t want to have to live in a word without him either… but he also didn’t want to lose Alphonse. “I… I’ll come back…” he managed to choke out. “But just in case, you know… I just… I just wanted you to know that’s all. I have to do this no matter what happens…”

"I know but say the words Ed, promise me you’ll come back. Don’t just say you will, say the actual words. Actually promise me this… it’s important, I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t…" All the while Roy’s dark gaze stayed on Ed in his arms, not relenting for a moment. 

The tears that had been stinging at his eyes anew burned more, so much so that Ed could feel their warm moisture already pooling at the corners. Why was Roy so insistent upon this? He had already said that he would come back, why was actually promising to do it so important? This wasn’t like Roy, it wasn’t like him to make Ed do something like this knowing full well what risks their job carried… or maybe that was preciously the reason. Roy knew how high the odds were that Ed wouldn’t come back from this… and that realization that the pools over flowing and running down the blond’s cheeks. Roy was honestly afraid of losing him this time, that was it wasn’t it? 

Pulling away, Ed hopped back off of the bed and was already half way to the bathroom before Roy could get up to stop him. Roy knew better though, knew why Ed had broken away the way he had and Roy couldn’t blame him. He really had asked too much this time, knew the request was something Ed wouldn’t do… Ed was a man to keep his word after all and Roy was certain that the reason Ed wouldn’t say the words was because he didn’t completely believe he could live up to them. Ed didn’t want to make a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep…

But in the door of the bathroom, Ed paused, the tears still streaming down his face where Roy couldn’t see them. Lifting his head, his hair cascading with a certain elegance down his bare back, Ed took a deep breath. The sight actually had Roy’s breath catching in his chest and for that one moment, Roy Mustang, the notorious Agent Flame, was actually breathless…

"I promise I’ll come back…" Ed finally said, but he never turned around before lowing his head again and heading to the shower, the bathroom door closing behind him.

Ed would linger in the shower far longer than usual, though as he washed away the signs of what he and Roy had done, he also let every last tear spill from his eyes. Saline mixed with the warm water of the shower until both had either run dry or cold. It had actually been so long that when Ed emerged from the bathroom, Roy was already back to sleep. All the better… the last thing Ed wanted when he left this apartment was any more reason for his heart to be heavy. 

After dressing, Ed grabbed his coat and left Roy’s apartment… A quiet, “I love you…” the last words he uttered on his way out without even stealing one last glance… 

It was time to get to work…


End file.
